World War II: Allied Powers vs. Axis Powers - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

World War II:

Allied Powers vs. Axis Powers

Admiral Chester Nimitz, Commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet

Plans to use surviving aircraft carriers against Japan

Cannot mobilize fast enough to stop Japan from taking S.E. Asia

Japan attacks U.S. bases in Philippines, land troops laterGen. Douglas MacArthur’s troops hid in Bataan for 3 mos.Gen. MacArthur evacuated to AustraliaMcArthur’s troops captured by Japanese, marched 65 milesPhilippines falls to JapanDoolittle RaidTo raise morale, FDR orders bombing of TokyoApril: 16 B-25s bomb Tokyo, land in ChinaJapan changes courseJapan no longer worried about cutting off supply linesNew plan is to lure U.S. fleet into battle by attacking Midway

War In The Pacific

Japanese plan to cut U.S. supply lines to Australia by attacking New Guinea, but U.S. broke the secret code, Battle of Coral Sea

Aircraft Carriers

Lexington & Yorktown

attack Japanese fleetCarriers eventually sunk, but Japanese stoppedNavajo “code talkers” used by U.S. Marine CorpJapanese could not “crack” the Navajo code, orders stayed secret and were quickly transmittedU.S. Code Breakers learn about attack on MidwayJapanese carriers sail into an ambush1st wave of Japanese planes shot down by AmericansFour Japanese carriers sunk by American bombersBattle of Midway was a turning point in the war362 dead Americans, 3,057 dead Japanese

Talking In Code

Two part plan to defeat the Japanese:

Admiral Nimitz’s Navy island hopping closer to Japan

Gen. McArthur to lead army to recapture Philippines

Amphtracs used to land Marines on coral atolls1943-45: Marines take islands 1 by 1, move closer to JapanB-29 “Superfortress” bomber, fly farther than other planesMacArthur’s troops begin drive at GuadalcanalCatch up to Navy and take New GuineaNext stop: Philippines (land on 10/20/1944)Japanese launch surprise attack, use kamikaze pilotsEarly Japanese retreat saves U.S. at Battle of Leyte GulfBattle for control of the Philippines lasts until end of war

Island Hopping

FDR wants badly to invade Europe, his advisors and British PM Winston Churchill advise against

Want to invade Africa for two reasons:

Taking control of Africa would not be as difficult

The Army could get practice without needing too many troopsAfter early losses, Gen. Eisenhower replaces leadersGen. George Patton assigned to AfricaConvoy system, radar, sonar help Allies control AtlanticWith W. Europe under Nazi control, Hitler pushes east to destroy the Soviet economy—Stalingrad is main targetBattle lasts from September 1942-February 1943Nazis not prepared for Russian winterHeavy Nazi lossesThe War In Russia & Africa

Battle of Stalingrad

The Allies Advance

US, UK, USSR form Grand Alliance, stress military operations, not political differences

Agree to fight until all Axis Powers surrender

1942: War turns against Germany, JapanNov ’42: Allies invade N. Africa, defeat Germans May ’43Feb ’43: German Sixth Army surrenders at StalingradJune ’42: USA sinks 4 Japanese carriers at MidwayGen MacArthur begins offensive in PhilippinesCombined Army, Marine and Navy “island hopping” May 1943: Axis Tunisia surrenders

Casablanca Conference: FDR and Churchill agree to destroy German economic & military potential

Weaken German morale

First, attack Italy “the soft underbelly” of the Axis Powers

September 1943: Allies invade Italian island of SicilyAmerican & British bombing of Germany picks upDid not weaken German economy or morale, but created gas shortage, interrupted railroads, wrecked airplane factories—Allies now controlled the airAllies invade Italy, move north quickly, Mussolini arrested by King Victor Emmanuel III—Germans return him to powerAllies land at Anzio, behind Nazi lines at Cassino, fighting lasts for three months—Allies take Rome in May 1944War in Europe